


Silent Adventure

by PineconeTheKitten



Category: Fantasy Life (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Bandits & Outlaws, Cats, Deaf Character, Dragons, Fantasy, Fights, Gen, Kings & Queens, Monsters, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Paladins, Pam is a Mom, Pet Store, Quests, Silent Protagonist, Talking Animals, The Author Regrets Nothing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:28:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28920591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PineconeTheKitten/pseuds/PineconeTheKitten
Summary: Jenna moves to Castele from the country in order to choose an honorable Life. She moves into an attic above a real-estate agent's house named Pam (who essentially adopts her) and begins to explore the town, meeting new friends along the way.Of course, her progress is greatly hindered, considering the fact that she's deaf.She doesn't let that stop her, though.
Relationships: Captain Mustang & Player Character (Fantasy Life), Choucho | Flutter | Yuelia & Player Character (Fantasy Life), Isobel & Player Character (Fantasy Life), Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Pam & Player Character (Fantasy Life), Roslyn & Player Character (Fantasy Life)
Kudos: 4





	1. Meeting the King and Getting a Life

**Author's Note:**

> I AM SO SORRY TO EVERYONE THAT MANAGED TO READ THIS STORY BEFORE IT WAS DELETED!!!!!
> 
> LUCKILY AO3 SENDS MANUSCRIPTS OF THE BOOK IN AN EMAIL IF YOU DELETE IT, SO I WAS ABLE TO FIX IT, BUT I HOPE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN!!!

It was nice and quiet, though when was it never for her? Well, that was beside the point. The point was, she could never get a peaceful night's sleep, either plagued by loneliness or the thrumming of people walking through Pam's house. It was a welcome change, for sure.

Even in her sleeping state, excitement pulsed throughout her body. She was sixteen, the official age that residents within the city of Castele could register for a Life, as well as the age they're considered adults. She had already chosen her Life, but there were some cool ones . . .

With a happy sigh she wasn't aware of, she rolled over, the edge of her bed disappearing beneath her body, only to be replaced by hard wood a split-second later, her eyes snapping open.

She pulled herself up, blinking against the glare of the light reflecting everywhere in her room from her window. After a few seconds of confusion, her door swung open, and she looked up, furrowing her eyebrows more than they already were. Pam was talking, but it took her a couple of seconds to realize she was.

"-awful ruckus up here. Are you hurt?" After a second she laughed and waved her hand. "I'm sorry I just came barging in, but I thought maybe one of those falling stones crashed into the roof!" She paused before speaking again. "But it looks like everything is okay. . . . Did you fall out of bed? I bet you were having an intense dream!"

She shrugged, rubbing the spot on her head in confusion. Pam laughed again. "Well, I had a funny dream you fell out of bed and bumped your noggin! It was only funny because I see that you're okay now, of course." She paused, thinking for a second, her face lighting up. "Oh, congratulations, by the way! I heard you finally chose a Life for yourself! How exciting! Have you checked the mailbox? I don't think you got your letter from the king yet! Not that I peeked . . . I don't mean to be so nosy. I guess it kind of goes with the Life of being a landlady, I suppose. Pop outside and check the mailbox, dearie." With a smile, Pam turned around and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Standing up, the teen pulled her blankets off her body and threw them onto her bed, not bothering to make it. With a yawn, she bumbled over to her closet, pulling out her simple dress and throwing it on, tossing her pajamas next to the cabinet. With a nod, she walked over to the door and opened it, closing it quietly behind her, closing her eyes against the slight breezing ruffling her hair. When she opened her eyes, the postman was already dashing down the road again, and Pam was waving her down. She jumped down the stairs and opened the mailbox, sifting through the applicant letters and pulling the one with the Royal Seal on it out.

With an excited breath, her thumbnail slipped under the wax, popping it open.

_Dear Jenna,_

_Once you have received your license, I would request your presence at the Royal Court._

_-King Erik of Castele_

With a smile, Jenna closed it and padded over to Pam, showing her the letter. The older woman smiled in response. "The letter from the king marks the beginning of your new Life! Oh, this is all so exciting! To start a new Life! How wonderful for you! It makes me think back to when-" She gasped suddenly and facepalmed herself. "I need to get a hold of myself. And you need to get a license before you report to the king! Just pop into the Guild Office and pick up your license before you make your way to the castle." She raised a hand and pointed to a building with a huge gear on the sign. "The Guild Office is just over there. See? You should be able to make it that far without getting lost, but I'll mark it on your map, just in case."

Jenna shrugged and pulled out her map, holding it out for Pam to take, who scribbled a huge circle around the clearly marked Guild Office before handing it back. "Are you going to be okay?" she asked, fiddling with her hands. "You seem nervous. Or . . . well, maybe it's just me. I'm so excited for you!" She reached inside one of her apron's pockets and pulled out something pink. "Here. Take a piece of candy, I insist. It will help you keep calm in front of the king." She pressed the candy into Jenna's hand before smiling. "Just pop in in your pouch, dearie. That way, you'll have easy access to it no matter where you are! Now, go on! The king won't wait all day, you know! Don't forget to stop at the Guild Office first!"

Jenna waved goodbye and began running, unable to contain herself as she lept up the stairs. While it might've seemed strange that this lanky teenager was running through the town, no one questioned her, and she arrived in front of the Guild Office slightly out of breath. Pushing open the door, she saw out of the corner of her eye that the staff outside bowed to her, and she smiled.

The first thing she noticed was that it was _unreasonably_ cold inside the Guild Office. The second thing she noticed was the large, scowling man standing behind a counter, his sleeves rolled up despite the chill in the air. Jenna swallowed her nervousness and walked up to him. After a second, he gave a wide smile.

"Well, lassie. You sure did take your sweet time getting here, eh? You're Jenna, right?" Without waiting for a response, he flicked a card across the wood counter, and Jenna scooped it up before it could hit the floor. Her eyes flickered up and she managed to catch most of what he was saying. "-Novice License. Don't lose it. I don't want to have to do all the paperwork again. Oh, and since you're here, read this. It explains everything you need to know about these licenses." He tossed a small packet onto the counter, and Jenna read it quickly, nodding. She didn't notice how he was already talking again, unfortunately.

Once she was done, she looked back up at the Guild Master. "That license will get you started, lassie, so don't keep his Majesty waiting. Come and see me if you got any other questions. You know the way to the castle, don't you? When you leave here, just head north." He pointed in that direction, smiling kindly before shock flashed across his face. "Sounds like trouble outside in the square," he muttered, scratching his mustache. "Yeah, that's about the way of it these days . . ."

Jenna frowned and whirled around, walking out of the Guild Office. Whatever made the Guild Master so shocked, she was going to find out. The door slammed shut behind her, and she marched through the roads, stopping when she reached the place where they all crossed. There, in the middle, were two thugs standing in front of a butterfly.

"Now, don't worry," the blonde one snerked, his hair and beard looking a bit like Lunares. "We won't hurt you . . . much."

Her eyes flickered over to the butterfly, and she noted the way its wings sparkled as it flapped. They flickered back to the pair, and she was shocked to see one of them was talking - it was the shorter one with stubble lining the bottom of his face. "Think you can just flutter away after whut you said?" He paused for a moment before shaking his head. "I don't remember now. But it was insultin'."

No one was talking, and Jenna felt like crying. What was going on? Why were these two harassing a butterfly? Why didn't it just fly over or around them? Sure, it sparkled whenever it flapped, but that was it.

The blonde man shook his head. "You probably shouldn't give us such ideas. We are quite aware of how special a talking butterfly is."

 _Oh,_ Jenna thought. _That explains it._

"Yeah! We gonna be eatin' good tonight!"

The butterfly probably said something, and the blonde one sneered. "Don't be a fool. We're not going to eat you. We're going to sell you and make a tidy sum of Dosh! With that Dosh, we shall purchase a grand feast!"

The butterfly flapped a little harder before turning in Jenna's direction, probably saying something to her, and she swallowed, stepping forward to block the two from the butterfly.

"Oh my," Lunares muttered, clenching his fists, hoping to look intimidating. "And now this butterfly has the gall to label us as ruffians!"

Stubble scowled. "Yeah? You're gonna see how 'ruffians' we can get!"

Jenna pulled her lip into a sneer and Lunares finally took notice of her and gave a placating smile. "My friend, please just go along your business and leave us to deal with this quarrelsome insect."

"A squirrel's been shipwrecked?!" Stubble shouted, sounding worried.

Lunares shook his head turned towards him. "Butch . . . please talk less in front of others." _So that's Stubble's name._ "And you! Nosy . . . observer type! I'll ask you once more to leave us be. This doesn't concern you. A man must be free to enrich himself as he sees fit. Either through work, art, or the acquisition of Dosh!"

"Speaking of acquisitioning Dosh," Butch said, leaning forward ever so slightly. "If you're just gonna watch, you should pay the price of admission. Sometimes we pick mushrooms or flowers and sells 'em to get by. Other times, we just take Dosh."

"So, friend, just as Butch here said. How about you give us all your Dosh, and we'll be on our merry way. Butch, you have the honor of emptying her pockets!"

Butch sighed. "Aw . . . how come I always get the honor?" With another sigh, he stepped forward and began rifling through Jenna's pockets, and she twitched slightly, allowing him to do so. She had no Dosh, so there was nothing to take. After a few seconds, he pulled out Pam's Candy. "Hey, Pierre, I ain't never seen anythin' like it! This kid is walkin' around with no Dosh!"

Pierre looked shocked. "WHAT?! I am incredulous. Incredulous, I say I am! How do you expect to get about this world with no Dosh lining your pockets? This Doshless hobo and this chatty butterfly deserve each other's company."

"Oh, but they have this!" Butch cried, and Pierre perked up. "Aha! I knew you must have something on you!"

"Ain't no Dosh! It's candy!"

Pierre shook his head. "I'm starting to feel sorry for the kid now. Well, I suppose it's better than nothing. Hand it over." He held his hand out, and Butch placed the candy in his palm, which closed around the pink wrapper. "This should teach you to mind your own affairs. And for the love of Reveria, make some Dosh."

Butch nodded. "Yea. 'Make some Dosh.' Dat's my bro's credo. It's pretty good. But I got my very own credo." He paused for dramatic effect. "My credo is 'Buckets.' You remember dat one, kid."

Jenna swallowed and attempted to keep her tears in her eyes as the two walked away, the slightest sliver of pink wrapper showing through a crease in Pierre's big hand. She turned around and looked at the butterfly, blinking a couple of times to get rid of the moisture. That only caused one to fall down her face, but the butterfly didn't seem to notice that or the fact that Jenna couldn't hear it. After a few moments, it fluttered away before stopping, continuing on its way.

When it disappeared out of sight, Jenna followed after it, now in a significantly lower mood. Her feet dragged up the steps, and she pushed the castle doors open lethargically.

Inside, it way all gold, red, and cream with polished floors, with high, arching windows, and as Jenna walked forward, a man with a curling mustache and purple tailcoat spoke to her. "Welcome to Castele Castle. The king is currently receiving an audience in the Royal Court. His Majesty is most gracious to his subjects, but please be quiet as a mark of respect."

With a nod, she walked up the stairs, her shoes clicking on the marble. When she reached the top, she saw the door and approached it, reaching her hand out to open it before the two Paladins guarding it saluted. The one on the right spoke. "Halt! Iḿ sorry to inform you, the Royal Court has a dress code that is enforced at all times. Thank you for going to the great lengths of putting on a skirt . . ."

The other one spoke. "Formal attire is required at all times. The king is in there, for goodness sakes! You can't go in there looking like you just fell out of bed. There are rules, you know! At least put on a tie or something. Show the king some respect." He waved his hand, and as Jenna started to turn away, the Paladins started, drawing their swords out of reflex. Jenna tilted an eyebrow and looked over the railing, surprised to see the butterfly again. And it was talking with the Minister, who occasionally drew his hands up in a placating manner.

When Jenna got down there, the butterfly seemed surprised to see her, and she waved, hoping it had said hello.

"I see you two know each other. . .?" There was a beat, and the Minster smiled and shook his head. "I can assure you that I am no 'meanie.' I'm sorry, but we just do not allow insects at the Royal Court. It simply isn't done. The king is a very busy man. I'm sorry, but I must ask you to leave now." With a bow, he walked back to his spot in the middle of the room, leaving the butterfly and Jenna alone. Her eyes flickered over to the insect, and she cocked a brow at it.

A few seconds went by, and it started to flutter more, throwing sparkles everywhere before stilling, lowering until it almost hit the ground. With a flap of its wings, it got closer to Jenna, seeming almost expectant, and she nodded, not knowing what she was getting herself into.

With a flutter that sent it shooting into the air, the butterfly adjusted itself and flew at Jenna, settling onto her neck, and she swallowed, trying to ignore the feeling of insect legs poking her skin. There was a steady thrum coming from it, and it increased in pitch when it started to speak. When it finally got comfortable, Jenna suppressed a giggled and started walking, nodding to the Minister on her way in, who gave a slight bow to her.

Once again, she climbed the stairs, giving the Paladins a hard look when they glanced at each other in exasperation. "Halt in the name of the king!" the right one shouted. "I will not tell you again that your outfit is not-" Butterfly chose that time to sparkle, and the guard's eyes flickered down to her neck, widening. "Ooooh. . . . What's that sparkly thing under your chin? That's the prettiest bowtie I've ever laid eyes on . . . it's so . . . fetching. You should have worn that earlier! Such a splendid piece of finery is a pass to roam the castle! Go on!"

The other Paladin spoke up. "That tie of yours . . . it seems a little . . . lively." He waved his hand good-naturedly. "But go on!" They both saluted, and the vibrations around Jenna's neck picked up, forcing her to try and keep a straight face. She pushed open the door, appreciating how soft the wood was beneath her fingers before it swung open, showing her a room even more fantastic than the one before it.

Suits of armor lined the rug up to the chair, and windows even larger than before dominated the room, allowing golden light to filter in and make everything seem ethereal. Awe covered her face as she stepped forward, and it took a second for her to realize there was something wrong with the scene: There was a golden-haired child sitting on the king's throne, a plush velvet and silver crown sitting atop his head, slipping slightly. Standing next to him was a mature and beautiful woman with pink hair piled high, gems and golden chains adorning it.

"Well," the child began, sitting up, "you certainly took your time in responding to my summons. I'm sorry if I inconvenienced you at all. After all, I, Erik, eleventh king of Castele, am only the ruler of our entire realm! Sure, let me wait!" He sighed, rolling his eyes. "I only ask for so little. Anyway, so it is my royal duty to explain to you how all citizens choose a Life that they wish to pursue. As King Erik, your rightful, kind, and loving ruler, allow me to congratulate you on this auspicious day. After all, it's not every day that we are graced by the presence of a young . . . uh . . ." He paused, thinking for a second. "Sorry - what life did you choose? I forgot what they said in the morning briefing . . ."

The mature woman turned towards Erik, frowning. She began to scold the king, who rolled his eyes. "What? I can't be expected to remember every little - Oh, it doesn't matter!" His brows were furrowed, making him look much older, which was appreciated. "So may the Life you have chosen lead you to glory, fame, success . . . all that good stuff. Got it?"

Butterfly fluttered slightly, and King Erik looked shocked. "I'm sorry - what was that? Now you're mumbling to yourself? My speeches are _soooo_ boring, is that it?" He smirked after a moment. "I like a lass who isn't afraid to show her feelings. A refreshing change from the common lickspittle! Allow me to introduce my wife, Queen Ophelia."

Ophelia curtsied. "Congratulations on starting your Life, Jenna. Your hard work in your new Life will be a great benefit and an inspiration to those closest to you. Please remember what you do for yourself, you also do for all of Reveria."

There were vibrations against Jenna's neck, and she smiled, hoping it seemed like it was from the queen's speech and not from an insect tickling her neck.

King Erik shifted in his seat to draw attention to himself before speaking. "The reluctantly smiling young lady to my right is -" He paused, looking to the right, narrowing his eyes at the fact that there was no one there.

Ophelia turned towards her husband to explain something to him, and he sighed. "That girl is shameless when it comes to openly defying my orders. I told her to stay in the castle! Doesn't she know that children are supposed to listen to their parents?!" In response to his huffy tone, it seemed like Butterly giggled. "Well," he continued, "I'll just have to deal with her later. Anyway, back to the matter at hand. . . . As a subject of mine, I ask that you conduct yourself with dignity at all times. Most importantly, enjoy your chosen Life and cherish the opportunity to share it with others. Gather much Dosh is you so wish. Pursue a Life filled with Bliss if you so desire. Or just collect Dandelion Puffs until you keel over. It's up to you. Knock yourself out. All who reside in our great land of Reveria are free to live however they see fit. Jenna the Paladin will follow a singular path heretofore uncharted since the first sunrise! Please accept these gifts from the royal family as a token of our happiness for your future prosperity." He waved his hand, and a Paladin rushed forward.

There was a pouch of Dosh and a world map, and as King Erik spoke, he also pulled out a set of armor, handing it to Jenna, then escorted her to a side room to change.

When she came out of the room, Jenna was feeling like she could take down a Napdragon with her bare hands. She stood in front of the king and queen, and Butterfly vibrated against her neck. Shiny metal armor glittered across her body, and while it was slightly heavy, she would get used to it in time. Her pale, spring green leaf-colored hair seemed to stail the reflective suface a mint color, and it made her wide, gentle, and pink eyes stand out, and it also brought her scar to attention, which she had gotten from getting hit in the face by a pitchfork. She was always insecure about it because of the strange way it had decided to heal, slightly distorting her facial features, but now she felt untouchable.

"How's that for 'even the slightest bit interested?'" Erik asked, smirking again, and Ophelia smiled and spoke to him. "Good to know the king's still got it," he murmured before raising his voice. "NOW! On to our next matter of business. . . . As you may or may not know, in Reveria, we offer a Master for each Life. This will be your mentor. You will begin as a Novice under the tutelage of a Master. This is how it has always been done. Once you have earned your Master's respect, you will be promoted to the rank of Fledgling. Your Life does not change. Just your rank. With hard work, you may achieve the level of Master yourself. Who knows? You may even surpass it and attain the level of Hero or, dare I mention, Legend. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. First, you must meet with the Paladin Master. May doing so prepare you for an exciting and fulfilling chapter in your new Life."

Excitement pulsed throughout Jenna, and she nodded ever so slightly, and Erik returned it. "Well then, Jenna, my keen subject. Now you must make your way to your Master posthaste. I wish you eternal luck in your new Paladin Life. Should you ever become disheartened, you are always welcome to draw strength here at the castle . . . just don't you know, spend all your time hanging around here."

With a salute, Jenna whirled around, running out of the Royal Court, unable to contain her excitement. She lept down the stairs, stumbling only slightly, not hearing the clang her metal foot guards gave off as they hit the ground, finally pushing open the entrance to the castle and letting the doors slam behind her. With a breath, she felt Butterfly lift off her neck, flapping a few times before turning to her.

It floated there for a few moments, and Jenna lifted an eyebrow. She had no idea what it was saying, and a few minutes passed before it fluttered in curiosity, settling into her neck, and the vibrations pulsed throughout her body, making her giggle.

" _You're deaf,_ " it said, and Jenna was entirely shocked to hear its voice. It sounded female and completely sure of herself. " _I knew it was a bit strange when you wouldn't answer back, and how you seemed focused on people's lips. It was because you were reading them, weren't you?_ "

Jenna nodded, walking down the steps carefully, eyes flashing around to watch the normal people around her. They didn't even glance her way, so she sighed in relief. She didn't have to walk very far to reach the Paladin's base, and she pushed the door open, feeling the creak beneath her fingers.

" _How does it affect your Life?_ " Butterfly asked with a questioning lilt to her voice, adding a depth of beauty to it. " _And you don't have to try and speak out loud. That tingling you felt earlier was me making a magic connection between the two of us so that way we can communicate. Actually, normal people usually wouldn't feel the magic pulse that creatures sometimes give off. I could feel you giggling every time I spoke._ "

In response, Jenna only nodded, allowing the door to shut behind her. While she couldn't hear it, she could practically feel how the mood went from joyful to serious as soon as the entrance closed, only professionalism being shown. As she walked farther in, she could see multiple Paladins. One was tall and lanky, his features sharp, even his eyes, those his nose was bent off to the left ever so slightly, showing that he knew how to handle himself in a fistfight. The second one was short and stocky, and though his body was covered by armor, he seemed to radiate strength and a terrifying aura. Small sprigs of blond hair poked out from under his helmet, complimenting his charcoal black eyes strangely. The third one was a woman, and she oozed brutality with every small, calculated move, her thick black hair tied up in a ponytail. Her icy blue-grey eyes were glittering with something Jenna couldn't identify, but she knew it was positive, or at least something close to that.

And there, standing behind a dominating wooden desk, was possibly one of the largest men Jenna had ever seen, his armor most likely enough to fit three of her inside comfortably. His face was intense, and while some might've found it ridiculous, he had a large brown mustache that practically lept off his face, and bushy eyebrows were close to covering his cruel eyes. In the flickering candlelight, his golden armor the light everywhere, and Jenna no longer felt as though she had the strength to fight an army. Compared to this man with his intimidating face and size, she felt like a small pathetic moth trying to imitate predatory eyes right next to an owl who could see everything, and his large and beakish nose only added to that effect.

 _This_ is what it looked light to be a Paladin, Jenna realized, staring at the trio, who only stared right back at her, analyzing her every move. Paladins were always prepared for the worst, always prepared to give up their life in a snap if the kingdom told them to, and they always fought back, no matter how dire the consequences might be. The woman placed a hand on the hilt of her sword, and before Jenna even knew what she was doing, she had grabbed the handle of her dagger, slipping it out of its sheath slightly before realizing what she was doing and placing it back where it belonged. She suppressed the red that threatened to swallow her face whole and instead stood her ground.

 _"That was pretty bold, Jenna!_ " Butterfly chided, fluttering slightly in distress. " _They're talking to each other, as well, though they just started. It's very hard to hear, even for me, so I believe they assume you can't hear_ it." She chuckled slightly. " _Of course, you can't, but they don't know that._ _Would you like me to 'transmit' it?_ "

Jenna swallowed, evening her breath out until she was able to spell out what she wanted in the Tapping System, which was comprised of different length dots that meant different words when strung together. Oh, how she prayed that Butterfly knew this code. " _Please._ "

Butterfly twitched slightly before she began to vibrate even harder than she was before, and voices suddenly popped into Jenna's mind, surprising her, but in a good way. When she had heard Butterfly, she felt complete shock. But now that she could hear actual people's voices, she felt like crying from the sheer joy of it.

" _She's got spunk, I'll give her that,_ " the woman said, her voice surprisingly clear for her appearance. " _I didn't think she was actually going to react to me placing a hand on my longsword. Most of the recruits fail that test, and if she hadn't surprised me, she would've been pinned against the wall with a longsword against her throat._ "

This voice seemed to fit the stocky one. " _Yea, I remember Roslyn. Had her disabled in two seconds, and she looked so frustrated with herself._ "

Crooked Nose spoke. " _Life as a Paladin sure is more interesting than the Life of a Blacksmith, I'll admit that._ "

" _Silence, all of you. I think our newest recruit can hear us._ " This voice . . . it vibrated in Jenna's mind, and she felt like collapsing from the gruffness and steeliness it offered. In all honesty, it terrified her, and there was only one person who could sound like that.

The woman tilted her head an almost imperceivable inch. " _I don't think that's possible, Captain Mustang._ "

" _Well, I think it is, Isobel. Now, newbie, if you can hear me, I want you to type something out in Tapping System. It doesn't matter what you do, and I know you can do it, because I heard you breathing it earlier._ "

Jenna froze, ice settling in her veins. Butterfly seemed to sense her panic, and soothing vibrations fluttered around her body. " _He's found you out, so why not? He thinks what you typed out was a complete accident, so his expectations are pretty low. I think you can blow all their armor off if you manage to do this!_ " Butterfly seemed excited, and Jenna couldn't help the determination that filled her.

Isobel sighed. " _See, Captain? The newbie can't-_ "

" _How do you all speak like that?_ " Jenna asked using her breath to communicate, and Isobel stopped, pure shock flashing across her face before she let it melt back into a mask of indifference. " _Stay silent, I mean._ "

Captain Mustang had an intense look on his face as he thought, eyebrows furrowing deep. " _How do you type so fast using the Tapping System? It's difficult to learn, and even more so to get to the point where you can disguise it as normal breathing,_ " he shot back, and Jenna allowed a small smile to cross her face.

" _Practice._ " When confused looks met her, she walked up to the desk and began tapping it rapidly, spelling out difficult words and sentences with little to no problems. After thirty seconds of this, she stepped back to soak up the reactions of everyone else.

Isobel, Stocky, and Crooked Nose had abandoned all pretense of trying to remain stoic and aloof, letting their pure shock cover their faces and bodies. Captain Mustang, on the other hand, had his eyebrows raised slightly after her display before her furrowed them, thinking deeply. After a few moments of this, he stood up, and the other Paladins snapped to attention.

" _ **Isobel,**_ " Mustang rumbled, and Butterfly stopped her intense vibrating. " _He's speaking out loud_ ," she explained. Jenna tightened the muscles in her throat as an affirmation that she had caught what was said to her and prepared herself to start reading lips.

"I want you to take our newest recruit down to the stables to teach her some longsword skills, and see if you can get her to teach Roslyn a few things about the Tapping System."

Isobel offered a salute. "Yes, sir!" she shouted before turning away, looking at Jenna before marching out of the building, leaving the teen to scramble after her.


	2. Formal Paladin Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her everything ached as she swung her sword at the dummy, hefting her shield up in a protective manner before continuing her assault on the stuffed straw man.
> 
> Roslyn had already attempted to "defeat" this enemy before she was stopped and scolded, Jenna stepping up to take her place.
> 
> With a grunt, she thought back to what Isobel taught her - the Spinning Attack Technique for the public but known as the Tempest Blade Technique among Paladins - and readied herself, tensing her body and tilting her frame ever-so-slightly, allowing power to flood her.
> 
> Releasing the breath she was holding, Jenna slitted her eyes and loosened her body, twisting on her left foot, feeling her novice sword slash into the dummy multiple times, stopping and watching it collapse in on itself before falling off of the wooden stand that was holding it up, crumpling to the ground in a sad heap.

"Alright, first of all," Isobel muttered, cracking her neck, "this is Roslyn, someone we got just got a couple of days ago." The intense woman gestured to the girl standing next to her, who jolted and attempted a sloppy salute.

Her eyes were a light hazel, making her wide and girlish eyes seem like they were hiding something dangerous, but she was simply too young and inexperienced to access that danger. Small tufts of mousy brown hair lifted from her ears, clearly from wearing some sort of hat. Her bangs were strangely flat, covering up a large portion of her - admittedly large - forehead, thick and triangle-shaped eyebrows almost reaching them. She was wearing the same armor set that Jenna was, and a ponytail snaked over her shoulder, the tip showing split-ends that could easily be snipped away. It made Jenna itch with the need to trim them.

Her formal opinion of the girl in from of her was that she looked like a faithful dog or horse.

" _If she were an animal, she would make a great pet!_ " Butterfly commented, and Jenna couldn't suppress a giggle, making Isobel look affronted.

"Excuse me? Did I happen to say something funny?"

Roslyn tilted her head. "No, I think it's about me," she stated, and Jenna jolted, making her peer grin. "I think I got it. A lot of people think I look like a faithful dog, and you thought the same, didn't you?"

Jenna blushed and crossed her hands behind her back. At this, Isobel snorted and rolled her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Should've figured. Getting back to what I was talking about - and I'm going to repeat it because I could tell you weren't listening. Rule one of the Paladin Code: Always aid those in need. Composure is necessary, and a Paladin must always remain humble. They need that humility and modesty to properly serve the people. Civilians trust those who protect them. and they trust them even more if they remain humble about their deeds

"Rule two: Assist your allies, even at the cost of your life. I'm going to tell you right now - being a Paladin isn't sunshine and rainbows, pup. It's about putting everything on the line for honor and respect. The respect you get from comrades is one of the most important things in this line of duty, and if you manage to get high enough in ranking, then you can bring a squad with you. That squad will be full of people looking up to you and depending on you for support and protection. And it will be your duty to do so.

"And the final rule: If the fight is not fair, do not continue. What I mean by this is that sometimes you'll fight people that are weaker than you and that have no chance of beating you. It is often much more humane to capture them and bring them in rather than keep them in a hopeless battle. Of course, this applies to bandits or criminals, not monsters that threaten our country."

With a final huff, Isobel turns around and reaches into one of the stables that don't hold horses, pulling out two sheaths that hole, what Jenna could only assume, were swords. "Now, pups, these are real swords, so I want you two to be careful with them. They're only trainer blades, but Goddess knows what you two newbies will do with them."

Roslyn didn't wait for a signal before rushing forward, snatching the weapon out of her mentor's hands, unsheathing it, and marveling at the blade. Jenna approached slower, taking it carefully into her hands, searching for a spot around her waist for a place for the weapon, clicking it to her belt.

"At least one of you pups has some common sense," Isobel huffed, and Roslyn blushed, scrambling to equip her sword, the sheath swinging around from her poor job of it. "Right . . . anyway. I assume you two know what's happening, but we're going to be training with swords before we move onto shields, then combining the two." A wicked smile flashed across the older woman's face, and her students felt fear flare through their bodies. "May the Goddess help you, because I sure won't."

Over the course of two weeks, Roslyn and Jenna were pushed to their limits. It was horrible, and they often went back home with aching arms, legs, and backs. Isobel was beating their training into their very bones. Of course, the lessons got tougher once shields were added, but at least they had a way to protect themselves.

They worked mostly on one-on-one fights against each other, but sometimes they did two-on-one, where Roslyn would rush forward and swipe at Isobel without rhyme or reason, and when she was thrown out of the way, Jenna attempted to use the _actual_ moves she was taught, which didn't work out very well in her favor.

"At least you have a chance against monsters," Isobel had rumbled, lightly kicking Roslyn in the head. "Unlike this idiot. I thought waiting for our next recruit would help you learn faster, but it seems like it just made you more eager to prove yourself. Remember what I said about humility?" Another kick, this one slightly harder, and Roslyn groaned.

" **Well, I just can't keep up with Jenna!** " she cried, Butterfly supplying the words as her friend couldn't read them. " **She's like some kind of witch!** " The girl blinked before sitting up. "You didn't choose the Life of a witch before this, did you?"

Jenna blinked and shook her head, pursing her lips slightly to keep a bit of laughter in. _Where did she come up with that? I just turned sixteen a couple of weeks ago!_

Isobel sighed and smacked the back of Roslyn's head. "Enough out of you. We have to continue your training, and this time we're trying something new."

The smile she gave made Jenna shiver.

_Oh no._

Her everything ached as she swung her sword at the dummy, hefting her shield up in a protective manner before continuing her assault on the stuffed straw man.

Roslyn had already attempted to "defeat" this enemy before she was stopped and scolded, Jenna stepping up to take her place.

With a grunt, she thought back to what Isobel taught her - the Spinning Attack Technique for the public but known as the Tempest Blade Technique among Paladins - and readied herself, tensing her body and tilting her frame ever-so-slightly, allowing power to flood her.

Releasing the breath she was holding, Jenna slit her eyes and loosened her body, twisting on her left foot, feeling her novice sword slash into the dummy multiple times, stopping and watching it collapse in on itself before falling off of the wooden stand that was holding it up, crumpling to the ground in a sad heap.

Pride pulsed through her entire body as she looked up at Isobel, her wide smile faltering at the blank looks she received.

That is until her mentor started laughing, speed-walking to look at the mangled mess of the training dummy, kicking the remains. Small plumes of dust and straw floated up at the action, and Isobel barked out another bit of laughter. "Now _that's_ what I'm talking about! One of the first tries of the Tempest Blade Technique and Jenna's already gotten it down! Now that I think about it, I think our prodigal pup will benefit from meeting Porthos. Roslyn, do you know where he is?"

The teen nodded. "Yes . . . he spends a lot of time at the market, doesn't he?"

"Indeed. At this - or any time of day - Porthos can be found having a snack at the market."

Roslyn sighed before turning to Jenna. "C'mon, we should try to catch Porthos before his post-snack, pre-next-snack nap. Otherwise, we might have to wait a few hours."

Jenna nodded and smiled, rushing off, leaving Roslyn to scramble after her.

Porthos was . . . big, to say the least. Jenna had seen the older Paladin around before on shopping trips for Pam, but she had never even questioned the man in the armor that constantly was eating something, or staring into a fountain blankly, and never once had she thought he was actually in such a high-intensity.

"Porthos, sir!" Roslyn shouted, saluted.

"Hm? Have you brought more free samples for me to try?" he asked, leaning forward slightly. "I must say, the appetizers have been living up to their name! Keep 'em coming!"

Roslyn jolted. "Oh, um, we don't have any food for you. We're actually here for official Paladin business. I'm Roslyn, and this is our newest recruit, Jenna. We're looking for some information. . . ?"

Porthos blinked. "Oh, Roslyn! Hello! Won't you join me for a mid patrol snack?"

"Perhaps another time, sir. As I said, we're here on official Paladin business. In fact, we were wondering if you could give us some pointers on defense?"

"Oh, bother. A robust midsection is a soldiers' first line of defense, and I'm afraid I can't teach that. But . . . seeing as you're already here, I could throw you a proverbial scrap, as it were."

"Oh, thank you, sir!" Roslyn chirped, a bright smile lighting up her face.

"Right then," Porthos grunted. "Do you two crumpets know the first thing about how the best Paladins start their day?"

Butterfly snorted. " _What is with this guy and food metaphors?_ "

"One word: prebreakfast. That's right. Well-fed soldiers are the backbone in defense to happy and safe Castele." With a smirk, Porthos drew his sword and shield. "Don't get me wrong. Swords and shields play a big role, to be sure. But how can we summon up the strength to wield them on an empty stomach? So for the good of the kingdom, dig in!"

"I . . . I think I get it, sir!"

"Splendid! Oh, and here's a delectable morsel of a training tip: You can use your shield as an oversized buffet plate!"

Now Roslyn sounded less sure. "Um, I'm not sure Captain Mustang would approve of that, sir."

"Oh, I suppose not. But that man's mustache does seem to require an ample amount of sustenance. But I digress."

Jenna snorted, attracting the attention of Porthos, who gave her a wide grin in response. "Well, now, what do you two recruits think of defending yourselves and the kingdom of Castele? I have high hopes for you two. You two seem to have a healthy appetite for adventure. I'm counting on the next generation of Paladins to maintain a state of pizza - er, peace - in Castele." Giving a slightly nervous chuckle, he pat his stomach. "All right, I trust this has been a savory lesson for the two of you? I'm off to predinner."

Roslyn twisted her mouth slightly. "Yes, sir. It certainly was . . . filling."

Porthos looked proud of himself before something flashed across his face. "Oh, but speaking of food, I almost forgot. . . . While I was munching on a little postlunch, I heard some fellows talking about a disturbance nearby."

"What kind of disturbance, sir?"

"Well, funny you should ask! I haven't the foggiest! My attention was regretfully compromised by a particularly scrumptious-looking slice of cheesecake. And now I've gone and ordered a little aprés snack. So I won't be able to check it out at the moment. But you know what? You two could use some experience. Why don't you investigate?"

"Really? You're giving us an assignment?"

"That's right! Remember, a Paladin's duty involves more than just swinging a sword around or raising a shield." A mischievous glint entered the elder Paladin's eyes. "Or don't you remember the Paladin Code?"

Roslyn looked affronted, and Jenna puffed out a small sigh. Right as Porthos wanted. "Of course we do! You heard the man, Jenna! Let's head out!"

"Ah, it warms my belly to see two young recruits eager to prove themselves. Head over to the Appleseed Café, and speak with the owner. He should have all the info you need. And make sure you report back to Captain Mustang when you're done."

"Yes, sir!" Roslyn excitedly snapped a salute before grabbing one of Jenna's hands and pulling her along.

Another person Jenna didn't expect to be a Paladin was Mr. Apfel, the owner of the Appleseed Café.

Mr. Apfel was a kindly-looking man with dark and thick hair covered by a red bandana. His face was soft and nice, and a dark mustache rested on his top lip. Currently, though, he looked quite troubled.

"Ah! Welcome, Paladins! Wait . . . who are you? And where's Porthos?"

Roslyn smiled and saluted. "Porthos sent us, sir. We're both official Paladins, at your service!"

Clapping slightly, Mr. Apfel gave a shy grin. "Oh, how wonderful! I'm honored to have two shiny, new Paladins on the case. See, I've got a problem. We're famous for our Apple Juice here. I mean, . . . we're the Appleseed Café! Unfortunately, our shipment of apples has been mysteriously delayed . . . and we're out of ingredients!"

"Delayed? But why? The weather has been fine . . . the roads are clear. What could have delayed it?"

"Well . . . exactly. That's what makes it so mysterious. Anyway; we require a special type of apple to produce our trademark juice. Ordinary apples simply won't do. These apples are extra juicy and have a unique tangy flavor. But lately, the shipments have been unreliable. And now they've completely stopped! Without our signature product, business has dried up. Just look: It's a ghost town here." Mr. Apfel gestured sadly to the empty café, and Roslyn frowned sympathetically.

"Oh no! That's terrible."

Mr. Apfel nodded. "I wasn't sure this was an appropriate job for the Mercenaries . . . and they're pretty busy anyway. But then I noticed a bunch of particularly shady characters hanging around. . . . To be honest, I wasn't sure where to turn. That is until Porthos wandered in seeking an apple tart."

"Well, we're honored to be on the case, sir! Just leave everything to us."

Jenna sighed as her friend began to explain what the plan was going to be. _Are we really going to do this?_

" _It's very obvious that Porthos wanted you guys to do it so he wouldn't have to do anything, isn't it?_ " Butterfly asked.

 _Very,_ Jenna replied, smirking before gasping as Roslyn pulled her along, back towards the main square. Confusion was fluttering through her stomach as they took a sharp turn and raced towards the exit into the outskirts.

One of the Paladins standing there saluted at the two of them. "Greetings! Welcome to Castele. You are welcome to come and go as your please." She paused for a moment before slumping. "Wait . . . you two are _Paladins!_ Why am I telling you this?"

Roslyn saluted back. "Yes, ma'am! We're here on official Paladin business. We've got something important to ask you!"

"Important, eh? Well, you've come to the right place. This post is one of the most important in Castele."

"Of course! Well, anyway, we'd just like to know if you've seen any suspicious characters pass through."

"Suspicious characters? Not on my watch."

Roslyne's face fell. "Oh. Well, it's back to square one for us, I guess."

The Paladin sighed and waved her hand. "But, you know, I did hear talk of some trouble on the outskirts of town. From what I could gather, it sounded like a robbery."

"A real robbery?!" Roslyn cried, excitement flashing across her face. "Wow, that's exciting! Um, I mean . . . horrible."

"Er, right. Anyways, let me think back . . ."

"I'm Gaites, by the way," the other Paladin interrupted, looking nervous. "I was stationed at the West Gate at the time . . . and the scuttlebutt over there was that a nearby farm had been burglarized. Yes . . . it's all coming back to me now. Apparently, the farm's prized apple tree had been stripped clean."

The first Paladin nodded eagerly. "Right, that's what I heard, too! But, uh . . . I thought those apples were sort of, you know, community apples, or something. I suppose taking all of them at once isn't very polite. Anyway," she continued, pushing her bottom lip out slightly, "I'd love to go and catch the thief myself, but my duties lie here at the gate."

"That's right, partner. Gate duty is our top priority. Captain's orders. We can't leave our post. Anyway, it's likely the thief would target a new area next time . . . like the apple tree just south of here."

"WHAT?! They can't take _those_ apples! Those are my _favorites!_ Sometimes I even sneak up there for a quick bite. Oh, those juicy, _crunchy_ apples." A dreamy expression came over her face, and Jenna swore she saw a bit of drool trying to escape her mouth.

Gaites frowned and leaned forward slightly. "What a minute . . . what happened to 'my duty lies here at the gate'?"

Roslyn cleared her throat. "Well, anyway, I think I know what our next move should be. We've got to get to those apple trees before the thief does. So let's go, Jenna! No time to waste!" Just as she grabbed Jenna's hand, she stopped her face paling. Captain Mustang walked through the gates, and the two guard Paladins saluted.

"Be advised - I heard everything. Now the only question is . . . is all of it true?"

The Paladin jolted and began to blubber. "Yes, it's all true!" she wailed. "I'm an apple fiend, sir. It's really out of my control. I throw myself at your mercy."

Captain Mustang sighed and pinched the bridge of his ~~enormous~~ nose. "Get a hold of yourself, Paladin! Your apple munching doesn't concern me . . . at the moment. No, I'm more concerned at the possibility of a thief running free through our peaceful streets."

Saluting, Jenna noticed that Roslyn was shivering slightly. "Well, sir . . . it certainly appears that the rumors are true. In fact, Jenna and I were on our way to apprehend the culprit ourselves!"

"Is that right? Well, your initiative is impressive. Consider it noted. But I cannot allow you to be so reckless. There is a fine line between bravery and buffoonery. And I need to help you recognize it. I know that Isobel has already taught you the Tempest Blade Technique, so I expect exceptional results!" Captain Mustang, Gaites, and the female Paladin all saluted them, and Jenna felt her face light on fire and Roslyn repeated the action. As their leader walked away, Roslyn snorted.

Gaites threw a disapproving look at the Paladin behind before speaking. "All right, you two. Sounds like you've got your work cut out for you. The tree is just across the way. It's dangerous out there, so you better take this." He pulled out a glass container that held a green liquid. A health potion, or as some people called it, an HP Potion. "Don't hesitate to use it if you're in trouble."

"Thank you, sir!" Roslyn chirped, cupping the flask.

The other Paladin stomped her foot. "Hey! I was gonna use that!"

"Sorry, apple girl. You've lost the right to complain for the time being."

Jenna snorted and had to stop herself from laughing, though the twitches her face made said enough. After a moment, Roslyn poked her scar and dragged her off again, towards the tree that sat at the edge of the farm they were next to.

As they got closer, they could see three figures standing in front of a rope fence, glancing around occasionally and muttering among themselves. As the duo approached they whirled around and drew daggers, rushing forward.

Jenna didn't waste a second in pulling out her sword and shield, raising it to block an attack. The impact actually created sparks as it landed, and she jumped away, slashing and cutting the shirt of one bandit. They jumped back and grunted, waving their hand slightly, calling the other two over.

This was going to be hard.

With a grunt, Jenna dropped the apples onto Mr. Apfel's counter, leaning against it slightly while she tried to catch her breath.

"What's this?" he chirped, opening the bag before brightening. "You recovered some of my apples? Amazing! There are some real beauties! NOw I can finally get started on that special order for the castle. What a relief!"

Roslyn lifted a hand to her chin. "Excuse me, sir, but did you say _castle?_ "

"Yes, of course. Did I not mention it earlier. The princess is a big fan of our juice. She orders a large batch every so often."

"I see. And by 'the princess', you mean Princess Laura, right?"

"Well, of course! Who else?" Mr. Apfel chuckled slightly, nodding his head. "I can't wait to deliver this new batch of juice. She'll be so excited! And it's all thanks to your efforts, my brave young Paladins. Surely your Captain Mustang will be pleased?"

With a slight bounce, Roslyn smiled. "Yes, sir, surely! I think."

"Well, I won't let you walk away empty-handed at the very least. Here's something for your trouble." With a small smile, Mr. Apfel pulled out a pouch and set it on the counter, which Roslyn snatched up immediately, excitedly showing Jenna.

_Dosh!_

"Please give Mustang my regards, and be sure to praise yourselves highly!"

"We'll . . . uh . . . we'll be sure to give him a full report. Glad to be of service!" With a final salute, the pair were dashing off.

"Ho, Paladins!" Captain Mustang shouted, leaning forward slightly. "Welcome back. It seems you two have had a rather exciting first assignment. You've done a fine job. And I don't say that lightly. I've even heard kind words from the castle. Don't let this get to your heads, but you do have a bright future in our order."

Roslyn blushed. "Thank you, sir! Um, just to be perfectly clear . . . by 'castle' you mean Castele Castle?"

Captain Mustang scoffed. "But of course! Do you know of another castle? Princess Laura herself mentioned you by name. In fact, she told me to pass along a gift of untold value to both of you . . . her utmost gratitude!"

"Oh! Well . . . uh . . . all in a day's work, I suppose," Roslyn commented before grabbing Jenna's arm and shaking her so much that she didn't catch the next words Captain Mustang said. Instead, she watched through vibrating eyes as he held a hand out, something glittering in his already sparkling palm. It was a Paladin badge that marked them as Fledglings.

Jenna's eyes were staring at the badge in her hands, and she could feel tears well up in her eyes. No longer was she a Novice - she was a fully-fledged d Fledgling Paladin!


	3. Bliss Check and the Goddess Statue

There was more power flowing through Jenna's veins, and she frowned, plopping down onto her bed as she stared at her hand. Butterfly flapped her wings slightly.

_That's your Level increasing. It's something strange that happens when you get to a certain level of power. Your body basically powers up in order to handle all of the power that it contains. While you might not notice anything at first, if you were to look back at yourself, say, a year from now, you would notice a difference._

Clenching her fist, Jenna's frown deepened. Carefully, because she didn't know if Butterfly knew Reverian Gestures, she twisted her hands into different words. _What about Stars? And Bliss?_

_That?_ Butterfly asked, crawling onto Jenna's forehead. _Well, you saw how Captain Mustang took your card and then pressed a bunch of little itty bitty stars onto it, and then there was a blue line, your novice rack replaced with fledgling? Well, that's how Stars work. It's a reward system devised for Lifes as you go up through the ranks. But Bliss is something that is essential for everyday life. Everyone can somewhat sense Bliss, so it's used as a sort of indicator. If you have enough Bliss, you can rent horses, but houses, even expand the number of items you can get at stores._

Jenna smiled. _So how do I know how much Bliss I have?_

_I was just going to do something about that, actually! Just sit up and hold your hand out, and then I can do a Bliss Check!_

_How do Bliss Checks work?_

_Why don't I show you?_ Butterfly asked snidely, and Jenna snorted, waving her hand in a "go on" gesture. Butterfly fluttered slightly and lifted off, quickly settling onto her friend's nose and glowing slightly. _It'll tickle, so be careful!_

Jenna gasped, feeling as though her heart was being ripped out before she stabilized, a swirl of vertigo overtaking her. She could feel a warmth spreading from her nose to the tips of her fingers and toes, and she allowed it to do so. It was . . . comforting. Safe. A small sparkle floated from her outstretched hand, and she watched it with wide eyes. _Magical._

A few minutes passed before Butterfly moved, her wings flapping. _Alright,_ she chirps. _I finished the Check, and you have enough Bliss to get a Bliss Bonus!_

_Bliss Bonus?_

_It's something you get when you have enough Bliss! There's a bunch of options . . . oh, can I show you?_

_Knock yourself out._

_Now that you've chosen your Bliss Bonus, I have something to tell you!_ Butterfly said, crawling onto Jenna's hand. _I know this might seem like a lot of work, but I have some Quests that you can do alongside your Life Quests! You can even accept quests from civilians and help them. They'll give you rewards when you complete the Quests._

With a very slight frown, Jenna pulled out her Quest Log, surprised to find that there were dozens of more pages alongside her Paladin Quests, and she flipped through the only pages that had writing on them. A bunch of them were just about things they had already done, and simply just so that Butterfly could learn more about Castele. After a bit of paper was a page marked with "Other Requests" and that was patterned with lines and boxes, small words were written to show what they were for. It was all very thorough.

Huffing, she threw it towards the end of her bed, sitting up to unclasp her armor. After two weeks of training in it, it was slightly battered, but it was still usable. _Even so,_ she thought as she tossed aside her breastplate, _I should replace it soon. Maybe with those tough leather jerkins. They're made with monster hide, so they should be rather sturdy._

Tugging off her left boot and throwing it off to the side, Jenna buried herself under her blankets, Butterfly fluttering to land on top of the sheets, her white wings glittering slightly in the dim light.

_It may already be too late, but I'm hoping that with your help . . . ._

A gasp managed to pull itself past her lips, and she bolted upright, looking around frantically. There was nothing except for Butterfly, who was flapping nervously - _how could a butterfly flap nervously,_ Jenna wondered before shaking the thought away. It didn't matter - beside her, trying to land on a part of her skin to communicate. Jenna, being the idiot that she was, waved away the concern before pulling herself out of bed and slipping on her armor, the clasps refusing to cooperate with her sleep-dumb fingers.

It was a new day, and she had things to do. Like Butterfly's Quests, or whatever they were! Sighing, she allowed her friend to settle onto her place on her neck. _Is everything alright?_ she immediately asked, worry tainting her tone. _You got up so suddenly and I -_

_I'm fine, Butterfly. Just a weird dream,_ Jenna assured, smiling gently. _Nothing you need to worry yourself about._

_. . . Alright, Jenna. But tell me if anything's off, okay?!_

_I will!_

Opening her mailbox, Jenna is surprised at the letter she receives, but shrugs and opens it, her eyes scanning over it before she tucks it into her pocket, a very wide smile on her face. King Erik had sent a personal letter to her, and not just for getting a Life, but for something she did!

It felt nice being acknowledged.

Jenna chose the pet option, and as she approached the pet vendor, she shivered in excitement at all of the different animals that milled around. She saw cats, dogs, and even a few birds in cages, preening themselves gently. Her heart swells at the sight of all of these potential friends, and she approaches the pet vendor.

"You look like a animal person," the Plushling squeaked. "Fancy a pet?" Not waiting for an answer, it continued. "You've got a fair amount of Bliss, haven't you? You're happy enough to care for one pet. Would you prefer a woof-woof, a purr-purr, or a chirp-chirp?"

Blinking, Jenna tilted her head. Butterfly was supplying the words where then Pulshling bounced up and down, but _woof-woof? Purr-purr?_ It was adorable!

_What do you want, Jenna?_

_A cat!_

Butterfly hummed and said the request to the pet vendor who nodded and waddled over to the cats. "A purr-purr it is! Which color would you prefer?" It gestured to the different colored cats that were there, and Jenna pointed to one with soft-looking fur and big ears. It blinked at the finger and reached up to sniff it. "Tortie cat it is, then? Now it's time to name your new pet!" Reaching into one of it's pouches, the Plushling pulled out a stack of papers. "Just sign these, please!"

Butterfly fluttered excitedly. _What will you name your cat? Oh, what about Raymond?_

Jenna snorted and lifted the cat up, spinning it around so she could see its gender. A female, then. _I think I have an idea, actually._

"Peanut Brittle, then?" the pet vendor asked, looking over the papers. "Well, the name suits your pet perfectly. I mean it! You can bring your pet along for adventures, and if you spend enough time with it, your relationship with it will go up! Enjoy!" It bowed and waved.

Excited, Jenna picked up Peanut Brittle and started to walk towards the central plaza, bowing her head slightly to anyone who waved at her.

_So this is the famous Goddess Statue I've heard so much about, eh?_ Butterfly asked, crawling her way onto Jenna's forehead.

"This, young one, is the Goddess Statue."

" _Pretty sure I knew that already,_ " Butterfly snarked, and Jenna could hear it in her head and could feel the minute vibrations that happened when she spoke.

The old man laughed. "Why, yes, I do believe in kismet. I think kismet may have brought us all together to view the Goddess at this very moment. Would you like to hear a story about the Goddess, my chatty, flapping friend?"

" _Actually, we're kind of busy right now, so if -_ "

"It begins in the olden times. Before you were born. Before I was born. Before dirt was born." Gramps sat down, and Jenna knew they weren't getting out of this anytime soon.

" _And what year was dirt born, exactly?_ "

"About two years before needless snark. Anyway, Reveria had fallen prey to great corruption and decay. Its citizens had lost all will to work! Their world fell into disarray. But a few people pleaded to the Goddess. She heard their wishes -"

" _And the Goddess heard their wishes and saved them all because that's what Goddesses do, right?_ "

Gramps shook his head wearily. "Not really, my sharp-tongued fluttered. Perhaps you would benefit from listening before you speak. You see, the Goddess grew tired of granting individual wish after individual wish, so She came up with the brilliant idea of giving her people the power to fulfill each other's wishes! She knew that if Her people would just dedicate their time to creating rather than wishing, they could help achieve . . . well, anything they wanted! The Goddess knew the key was to help each person find something that he or she loved to do. So She created a variety of things that would help people find their passion, to find their -"

" _Their Life!_ " Butterfly interjected. " _You're talking about taking up a life!_ "

"Yes, my interpretive scaly wing! She taught Reverians how to fulfill one another by pursuing a Life."

" _That's why some call her the Life Goddess!_ "

"No," Gramps sighed, "that's why some call her the Life Goddess. Shame. Seems to be fewer and fewer people working towards their wishes these days.

" _Why do you . . . ugh . . . WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?!_ "

"Because fewer and fewer youngsters are taking up a Life these days. It's all happening again, you see."

" _But people still have Wishes! They just have to know that their Wishes matter, right? If everyone felt every Life would help fulfill every other Life, the Wishes would be endless!_ "

"Yes, my optimistic lepidopteran! You sound just like the great Goddess Herself!"

Butterfly paused, her wings fluttering slightly. " _Yea, well . . . it's just a matter of showing everyone the power of their Wishes! Maybe I should go on a Wish-collecting mission!_ " After a moment she directed her words inward. _If you had one Wish, Jenna, what would it be?_

Jenna blinked and looked into the fountain's water, thinking. What did she want? Peanut Brittle squirmed in her arms before dropping onto the ground, giving her owner a peculiar look.

_I . . . I want to be successful. So that when people look at me, they feel reassured._ As soon as she thought that, Jenna felt a swirl of emotion flow through her, and there was a twinkling sound that shouldn't have been there. _What?_

Butterfly didn't say anything for a moment. " _What about you, Gramps? What would your Wish be?_ "

Gramps chuckled. "Oh, I'm an old man, my keenly mottled invertebrate. My days of Wishing are over."

" _What?! Don't say that! You can't stop Wishing! Ever! This is great! I'm gonna hear wishes from all sorts of people! I want to hear everyone's Wishes!_ "

"That's quite the ambitious task, my flappy, flappy, flying friend. Still, if you think you can help someone with a wish, you shouldn't hesitate to lend a hand!"

" _Do you know what my wish would be?_ "

"Oh, how rude of me, my talkative, airborne insect! What would your wish be?"

With a snicker, Butterfly flapped her wings. " _It's a secret!_ "

"That is no secret," Gramps muttered, shaking his head. "That is a cruel trick, my Butterfly. Let me recover from that, and perhaps I can come up with a Wish of my own for you. In the meantime, take this as a gift, my little piece of discursive, floating animelia." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a charm, placing his shaking hand into Jenna's. "May the Goddess watch over you and help you achieve a most fulfilling Life."

**Author's Note:**

> welp, i had fun with that chapter
> 
> now it is time to scream into the void because i am so goddamn happy.
> 
> this will be my longest chepter *ever* written on *any* of my writing platforms, and i felt huge motivation throughout the writing process.
> 
> mostly because jenna is my character in fantasy life, and ive already gotten her up to hero rank in the paladin life, as well as an apprentice to expert on the other 11 lifes
> 
> just a warning, in case you havent already figured it out, i will be taking a lot of the dialogue from the game and putting it into this book, so dont hound on me for plagerism or stuff like that. i know what im doing and i give complete and total credit to Level-5 for providing me with the best game ever created, and i hope those of you that read this will play the game yourself to find out whats so great about it!
> 
> another note, though i am using the dialogue from the game (and by god is there a lot of it, like *holy shit*) i will change up the interactions to accomodate jennas disability and how she might interact with certain characters, like butterfly and others. while im not deaf myself, i hope ive brought an accurate character that truely reflects what its like to not hear things. that being said, if any of you readers are deaf, and wish to correct me on anything i mightve done wrong, feel free to tell me!
> 
> i have the dlc for the game as well, so it will include origin island! this is probably going to stretch the chapter out like crazy, but who cares? the chapters in game take 15 to 30 minutes to complete normally, and then theres the stuff you can do inbetween chapters, which will mean while this might not be an impressive book *chapter-wise* i promise it will be impressive in the word count area.
> 
> btw, if any of yall want me to add your characters to the game, feel free to tell me their lifes, which ranks they have in said lifes, and when you would like them to be introduced. give me a description of them, and ill add their drawing to the end of the chapter in which they were introduced.
> 
> enjoy the journey this book takes, and i hope you stick around for the ride.


End file.
